Meet the Curatorial Fellow: Amelia Hobson

Amelia Hobson began her year-long journey at the Museum last August as the BMA/UAB Curatorial Fellow. A graduate student in UAB’s Art History program, Amelia has worked primarily with the curatorial department, doing in-depth research and projects to learn what life is like behind the scenes at a museum.

Read along to learn more about Amelia, her interests, and what it’s been like working at the Museum!

Birmingham Museum of Art: Tell us a little bit about yourself.Amelia Hobson: I am originally from Montgomery, and I went to Auburn University Montgomery for my undergrad in visual arts. A fun fact about myself is that I love the Beatles and I love running. A Beatles-themed marathon would be the best race ever.

BMA: What made you interested in museum work?AH: I am interested in museum work because I think it is a positive and needed force in modern society. I was impacted greatly as a child when visiting museums, and I know that the power of art can truly make a difference in both people’s lives and in communities as a whole.

BMA: What have you enjoyed about working at the Museum?AH: I think my favorite task has been researching artists and seeing how their backgrounds and experiences have shaped and transformed their creative approaches and signature style.

BMA: What is your favorite piece in the collection?AH: My favorite object in the collection is Helen Frankenthaler’s Sun Mountain because I like how the colors and scale envelop the viewer and transport them into the composition. But I also really like the Vik Muniz chocolate-syrup version of Alfred Stieglitz’s Steerage. I am a big fan of Stieglitz’s work, and I think this interpretation is a refreshingly fun way to introduce classic photography to a contemporary audience.

BMA: What has been your favorite memory since you started at the Museum?AH: My favorite moment at the BMA (so far) was installing the mini-exhibit that I curated for the Kirklin Clinic. I saw an older man walk by the case and smile, which was my whole goal for the exhibit — to make at least one person smile or feel a little encouraged.